The present invention relates to fume hoods and particularly to fume hoods which are pivoted to gain access to areas located below and/or adjacent the hoods.
In the plating industry, relatively elongated plating tanks are employed and contain electroplating chemical solutions for electroplating parts, such as, for example, chrome plating automotive components. The plating lines require maintenance for cleaning on a periodic basis as well as for replenishing anodes, such as zinc, inserted into anode baskets for providing the plating material source. Further, plating racks, which contain parts to be plated, are dipped and rotated in the plating tanks and can, on occasion, fall into the tanks. Thus, access to the tanks is required for routine maintenance, filling anode baskets, and occasional repair.
In the past, access to the plating tank is restricted by the fixed positioning of fume hoods extending in closely spaced relationship above the tanks. It has been necessary to either attempt to negotiate around fixed fume hoods, which is somewhat difficult and dangerous, or remove one or more fixed fume hoods in order to gain access to the underlying plating tank.
The system of the present invention overcomes these difficulties with existent plating lines.